This invention relates to an antibacterial composition for pathogenic bacteria provided with type I fimbriae, containing glycopeptides and/or oligosaccharides as active constituents, and to a process for preparing these active constituents.
There is little doubt that the majority of natural infections begin by the adherence of the pathogenic agent to the epithelial cells of the mucous membranes which enables the pathogenic agent to be implanted in and to colonize the animal tissue. In the process of infection by bacteria provided with protein structures known as "type I fimbriae", the adherence of these bacteria to the animal cells being termed "sensitive to mannose", these structures recognize specific receptors which are complex glucidic groups, probably oligomannoside chains forming part of the glycoconjugates in the surface of the cellular membranes.
It has recently been shown (see N. Firon et al., Carbohydr. Res. 120 (1983) pp. 235-249) that the phenomenon of adherence of bacteria provided with type I fimbriae to the epithelial cells and their ability to cause the hemagglutination of erythrocytes in guinea pigs may be inhibited in the presence of certain oligosaccharides resembling the specific structure of the membranal receptors, the bacteria thus being lured into preferentially fixing the oligosaccharides in question. These oligosaccharides are either obtained by synthesis or are isolated from the urine of patients having enzymatic deficiencies.
In the same vein, published European Patent Application No. 89940,for example, relates to a composition containing the structure Gal.alpha.1.fwdarw.3Gal which is chemically obtained and which is capable of inhibiting "in vitro" the adherence of Escherichia coli K88+ to the intestinal cells of young pigs.